Palestinian bodies left rotting in streets

Non-Governmental Organisations raised the alert on Thursday and the Israeli government has admitted that there are between 200 and 300 Palestinian bodies waiting to be buried. Palestinian sources quote the figure as being higher, at around 500.

Emmanuel Nashrum, spokesperson from the Israeli Foreign Ministry, confirmed that the bodies had still not been buried: “We are doing what we can to surpass this situation, but it was the Palestinians themselves who chose not to bury the dead as a form of propaganda”.

The Jenin government hospital has only received 50 corpses to date, leaving between 150 and 450 unaccounted for. Lior Yavni, from the NGO B’Tselem, told reporters of “the stench of decomposing human bodies” in Jenin.

Mannal Hazzan, a lawyer working with the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, told the international press that an ambulance carrying a wounded doctor and nurse, who had been fired at by Israeli Defence Force (IDF) troops, was parked outside the hospital. They were left to bleed to death because the medical crew were not allowed outside to treat them. They were threatened that if they attempted any such action, they would be shot.

Hazzan also denounced five cases of serious illness among children, who were deprived of water. Their mothers had to use water from the sewer to prepare their meals. Added to the displaced 800 women and children reported by Pravda.Ru yesterday, are a further 3,000, according to UNO spokespersons. These people have had their homes bulldozers, sometimes with family members inside, and are not allowed back into the area.

Palestinian Human Rights organisation, LAW, has denounced that five foreign journalists had their film and cameras stolen by IDF forces. Their press cards were also illegally taken from them. The international press card states: “The authorities to whom this document is shown must provide to its respective holder all help necessary for him/her to complete his/her professional mission, without breaking any legally applicable norms”. This means, basically, that international press card holders are to be allowed to circulate freely, except in cases in which they put their own lives, or those of others, in danger. This does not give soldiers the right to steal equipment and destroy film.

The action was made in an attempt to cover up evidence of human rights violations. Palestinian sources claim that copy of such films has already been sent abroad.